is the Director of Tennis at Westport Tennis Club. Originally from Stratford, Connecticut, Ricky joined the Westport Tennis Club staff in 2003. He is also the Director of our summer program. Ricky played college tennis at Franklin Pierce College, graduating in 2003. He led FPC to their first two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2002 and 2003. He also received the Richard Burns Award in 2003, given to the College’s Student-Athlete of the year. In addition to his time at Westport Tennis, Ricky has also spent time teaching at Sportime in Mamaroneck, NY, and Grand Slam in Banksville, NY. His experience, energy, and enthusiasm are infectious to both the adults and the juniors that play with him.

joins our staff on a full time basis, and comes to us from the Trumbull Tennis Club where she taught for the past 17 years. She is known for the Point Play program which she brings to Westport Tennis Club. Beth is an accomplished tennis player, as she was ranked 20th in the world during her career. She was No. 1 in the country and No. 5 in the world in the 18-and-under division. She also played doubles with Steffi Graf at Wimbledon. Beth has been inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame for all of her tennis accomplishments. She is USPTR certified.

PTR Certified Racquet Sports Professional
Born in Zambia, in the Sub-Saharan region of Africa, David Mwanza brings nearly two decades of professional tennis experience to the court. Since 2006, he has been committed to developing players of all levels—from beginners discovering the game to advanced athletes competing at elite levels.
David is a PTR-certified racquet sports professional who has coached at renowned facilities such as Midtown Tennis in Chicago and the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in New York. His career includes serving twice as an Ohio State Championship high school coach, where he guided teams and individuals to top-level success.
Since joining Westport Tennis Club in 2013, David has become a cornerstone of the coaching staff, known for his ability to simplify the game while producing powerful, lasting results. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a minor in Business Administration and brings a disciplined, analytical approach to player development.
Beyond the court, David and his wife, Mulenga, share a passion for tennis with their five children—Benjamin, Zachary, Naomi, Caleb, and Daniel—all of whom have been exposed to and inspired by the sport.

Tennis Professional
Will Mercorella has spent much of his life immersed in the game of tennis, both as a player and a coach. A highly ranked USTA junior competitor, he achieved top-ten standings in New England in both the Boys’ 16s and 18s divisions before continuing his tennis career at Lafayette College, where he competed in both singles and doubles and served as captain of the Division I Men’s Tennis Team.
Before joining Westport Tennis Club, Will served as Assistant Director at Bedford Golf and Tennis, where he honed his leadership and coaching skills. Over the years, he has worked at several premier clubs across Fairfield and Westchester County, teaching and mentoring players of all ages and skill levels—from young juniors to adults and aspiring collegiate athletes.
Known for his enthusiasm, technical insight, and engaging on-court presence, Will brings a dynamic and motivating energy to every session. His passion for the game and ability to connect with players make him a valued member of the Westport Tennis Club coaching team.

A native of Montreal, Canada, Phil Salvat started playing tennis at three years old. He played Nationals in Canada, the Junior Tour (ITF), including the Orange Bowl, Eddie Herr and the Sugar Bowl and ATP Tour tournaments. He was ranked #4 in Quebec, Canada at 14 (14 and under). He won the National Team Tournament and the Prince Championship in doubles. Phil finished as the finalist in singles at the All-Canadian. He was ranked #5 in Men's Open in South Florida. After some injuries which ended his playing career he decided to start coaching tennis. He has coached players ranked as high as 500 in the world. Phil has over 19 years coaching experience and is USPTR, USPTA Paddle Certified and USTA Quickstart 10 & Under Tennis certified. During the past nine years he has taught at clubs throughout Fairfield County and during the summer at the Fairfield County Hunt Club.

is a former professional tour player. Originally from France, she was in the top 5 in the Juniors and participated in professional ITF and WTA tournaments with wins in the top #100 and under and won two National Championships. Vanessa played #1 Singles and both #1 & 2 Doubles for Virginia Tech. She helped her team to win the Atlantic Championship for four consecutive years. She was the first women’s tennis player in Atlantic 10 history to earn Most Outstanding Performer and Most Outstanding Rookie Performer honors in the same season 1996. Vanessa’s teaching philosophy integrates mental and physical conditioning with tennis fundamentals. She is a member and certified as Mental Toughness Coach, ITPA Tennis Performance Trainer, USPTR, Women’s Tennis Coaching Association. USTA CT Board of Directors (2018-2020)

Joining WTC for his first season, George hails from Accra, Ghana. He was a top junior in his home nation, highlighted by Davis Cup Africa Zone Group III during his prime. He comes to us after working with Tennis Innovators Academy, and most recently Tennis Club of Hastings. George brings lots of energy, loads of skill, a great attitude, and tons of fun every time he steps on the court!

USPTA Certified Tennis Professional
Born and raised in Westchester County, New York, James Ham began playing tennis at the age of seven and quickly developed a love for the sport. A four-year varsity player at Rye High School, he went on to compete at SUNY Purchase, where he made an immediate impact—going undefeated in regular season play as a freshman, earning Rookie of the Yearhonors, and helping his team reach the Conference Finals. He was later named to the All-Conference Team and played between #1 and #2 singles and #1 doubles.
With over nine years of professional coaching experience, James has taught at some of the most respected tennis programs in the region, including Sportime Westchester (Harbor Island and Lake Isle JMTA), Yonkers Tennis Center, and Armonk Tennis. Most recently, he served as the Director of the ESF Tennis Camp in Greenwich, Connecticut.
A USPTA-certified Tennis Professional, James is known for his upbeat and player-focused approach that emphasizes technical development, strategic awareness, and enthusiasm. His teaching philosophy is centered on helping players of all levels strengthen their skills, confidence, and lifelong enjoyment of the game.